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One thing we have noticed in Alaska and Hawaii is that Hoppers cannot be installed with the 129 satellite LNBF attached to the DPP switch. If it is attached, the Hopper will not progress past the software download step in the System Wizard. We only receive services on spot beams on the 129 satellite so the switch check software in the System Wizard cannot ID the 129 satellite. Based on what we see, installers having problems with software download should verify adequate signal on all satellites by manually interrupting the Hopper System Wizard during the 015 screen and verifying the switch check results. A missing satellite with an LNBF attached can result in software download loop.

Initial impressions:1) On Guide 'skip FWD' now only goes ahead 3 hours instead of 24. We were so use this function - please change it back! We often go prime time from one day to next for setting timers.

The Skip FWd jumps 3 Hours, but the FFWD will jump 24.

7) Remote controls work! My 622 and 722 were not set up to extend the remote to the other room, so they always worked poorly. The remote just was not reliable talking to the base. I can't beleive I lived like that for years... This installer said the antenna should have been remoted into the 2nd TV room - I agree.

I had the Antenna remoted to a second location on a 622 and it still was nowhere near as reliable as the Joeys.

THANKS! FFWD works great - It would have taken me a long time to figure that out. All is good now!

I contacted Dish the morning of the 15th and they couldnt get anyone out until the 29th. Soo sad it is taking so long. Tomorrow is the day. It sounds like many of you had better luck getting the upgrade done quickly. I guess one advantage is that they should know how to do the install by now.

Installer arrived at about 11am (called 15 minutes prior to arrival). Spent the first about 2 hours moving my dish for better reception and rewiring to my house. Next began the Hopper setup, it has been "installing" the software updates for about 45 minutes thus far, so we are 3:15 in and in a holding pattern. So we'll see how long the rest takes and I'll post an update.

Update: Gone at 3:00pm so 4 hours total time.

Update: One tip, I had to transfer a new recording to my USB external drive for it to kind of activate and show all my previous recordings I transferred off of my 722. Now works fine.

Tomorrow will be one week since I had my Hopper and 2 Joeys installed. Overall, everything is working as advertised. But I have encountered an issue with my EHD.

I have EHD's that were connected to my VIP 622s. We hooked the main one up to the Hopper last Friday. Everything showed up and played so we thought we were good to go. On Monday, we went to play something from the EHD and it didn't show up as an open on the DVR menu. After checking on the Joeys and Hopper and seeing the same thing, I pulled the power plug from the EHD and then plugged it back in. The Hopper detected it and it showed up on both Joeys and we were up and running again.

I checked it on Tuesday and Wednesday and it had disappeared from the menu again. Each time I unplugged the EHD power, waited and plugged it back in. Each time the Hopper detected it and everything worked. So for some reason, the Hopper loses track of it overnight, probably during the nightly update.

Is anyone else having an issue like this? Did anyone find a solution?

Oops, to be clear, the EHD was what disappeared from the menus, not the recordings.

I moved all my 722 files to an external hard drive, and I can see them on the hard drive which is now connected to the hopper.

I wanted to restore them on the hopper, but I can't figure it out.

Any ideas?

On the 722 I always found it easier to work with TV shows on the local box as compared to the external drive, so I'm assuming the same is true on the hopper.

I've found that when I initially try to play something on my EHD (Copied from 922, now attached to Hopper), I get an error message (something about not being able to read it or similar). If I immediately try to play the same recording again, it works. almost like the drive isn't fully spun up the first time or something.

Tomorrow will be one week since I had my Hopper and 2 Joeys installed. Overall, everything is working as advertised. But I have encountered an issue with my EHD.

I have EHD's that were connected to my VIP 622s. We hooked the main one up to the Hopper last Friday. Everything showed up and played so we thought we were good to go. On Monday, we went to play something from the EHD and it didn't show up as an open on the DVR menu. After checking on the Joeys and Hopper and seeing the same thing, I pulled the power plug from the EHD and then plugged it back in. The Hopper detected it and it showed up on both Joeys and we were up and running again.

I checked it on Tuesday and Wednesday and it had disappeared from the menu again. Each time I unplugged the EHD power, waited and plugged it back in. Each time the Hopper detected it and everything worked. So for some reason, the Hopper loses track of it overnight, probably during the nightly update.

Is anyone else having an issue like this? Did anyone find a solution?

Oops, to be clear, the EHD was what disappeared from the menus, not the recordings.

Did you try to disable spin-off of the drive by manufacturer's program?Some of them doing that after certain time of non-activity.

I've found that when I initially try to play something on my EHD (Copied from 922, now attached to Hopper), I get an error message (something about not being able to read it or similar). If I immediately try to play the same recording again, it works. almost like the drive isn't fully spun up the first time or something.

Did you try to disable spin-off of the drive by manufacturer's program?Some of them doing that after certain time of non-activity.

I'll have to see if I can find the instructions for disabling the spin-off. This is a Western Digital drive that we have used since they were first allowed on the VIP 622, so I don't have the instructions that came with it. It was never a problem with the 622.

Of course, I could always buy a new and bigger drive and see if that solves the problem.

It's "spin-down" and some manufactures require that the drive get connected to a PC so that their software can set the internal disable bit inside the drive. While others, the spin-down can be disabled by jumping pins. If the drive is one of those cheap 'My Book' cases, the drive will have to be connected to the PC, the case, even if you could open it, some of those hard drives intentionally use a proprietary interface.

Interesting call from Dish yesterday regarding my install and subsequent service call. The Dish rep wants to come to my house to "inspect" the installation. This inspection is tentatively set for Saturday. Has anyone else had Dish call to set up an inspection?

I have been contacted also from a inspector and also found out its just a way for D* to look for anything and everything so they can take money back from the subcontractor. Makes you think they care about you but its just a way for them to save some money..I dont plan on letting him near my house. just saying

Install yesterday. One hopper two joeys. Install went fine, with no issues. 3 hours which is half what I expected. We did have to run new faster coax to the hopper but current cables were fine for the Joeys.

New system is FAST!!! Menus are nice. It seems like they have thought of everything. Cant beleive how many connection choices you have on the back of the Joey, its even got fiber for audio. Setting up the universal remotes was amazing. No more looking up codes or scanning thru codes on the remote. Just go to the remote menu and select the tv and blu ray you have. Remote locator is AWESOME. We will use that many times im sure. I have the guide to default to MY HD channels. Kids like to change the guide around all the time so now when I hit guide it always defaults back to HD channels. Wish they would just get rid of the SD channels all together. Its just a matter of time I guess.

I have seen some on here suggest setting up timers for shows even if they are on PTA so that it saves it to the drive instead of disapearing after 8 days. Dont bother wasting a tuner because you can actually save the show to the user portion of the drive from the PTA menu.

Over all I love the new system. Fixes many complaints I had. I was about to switch to Comcast to get the whole house system until I saw this was coming out, so I waited and glad I did. It will be interesting to see how the other companies play catch up now. I have seen all the other whole house systems out there but this is BY FAR the best at the best price.

Quick question ahead of my install, how many wires will be coming off the dish itself? Is it just one like with D*?

It depends. If you intend to get one hopper and zero to 4 joeys, then it can be done with just the one. But all 2 hopper systems require at least 3 wires (or more depending on where the node is installed). THIS diagram shows most of the possibilities. From what I've seen so far, the node is typically installed at the dish, and the taps/splitters at your main distribution point.

Promptness: They had a cancellation and called me 3 hours early. I was able to meet them, so it worked out great.

Time to install: 2.5 hours - New dish, two existing cables, two two existing moved to new locations.

Notes: The Hopper has to be fully installed and updated, then each Joey is added one by one. This took the bulk of the time. 20-30 minutes for Hopper and 10-15 minutes per Joey. I had hardwired Ethernet, otherwise it would have been a wireless dongle. Tech said a lot of people don't know their wifi passwords. As an IT Contractor, I can vouch for that.

The tech did an excellent job of explaining how the features work. He was courteous and pleasant in every way.

I'll take a more in-depth look at the system this weekend, but I like it so far.

The inspector guy came by today. He checked everything, took pictures of the installation, said he knew about the hard drive issue, I showed him my RC Helicopters, and he left. Took about 15 minutes, total.